Banned books... I don't understand this!

How in you-know-who's name is The Bridge to Terabithia a "danger to children"?

I honestly don't understand how people (parent, teachers, ect...) can think that reading any of these books will be bad for their children. I can see banning the book with profanity from younger libraries... but most of these works do nothing but inspire children and adults alike to relish in their imaginations! I can see the Harry Potter series getting so much grief... mainly because people are very quick to judge (probably without even reading any of the books) when anything with “witch/wizard” words are use. What do you guys think?

Re: Banned books... I don't understand this!

Banned books is one of my biggest pet peeves. I don't personally think any book should be banned. I think parents should be involved in what their children are reading and be responsible for deciding whether or not it's appropriate.

Re: Banned books... I don't understand this!

I made my ex-roommates read Bridge to Terabitha right before the movie came out (during the last year I've re-read all the books I loved as a kid because I figure these books shaped who I was). My tough guy, loves horror movies, you name it, roommate was sitting in his room weeping during this book! He walked in and was like "I hate you. This book made me cry." Taking away this book but leaving some of the crap... isn't okay.

Re: Banned books... I don't understand this!

As a school media specialist (aka Librarian) I will say that there is a lot of discussion on banned books. Recently, out here on Long Island, the novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower was challenged since it deals with many controversial issues. Personally, I think it is a book that EVERY child should read, since it's a book that deals with many issues that students must deal with growing up. It's done with taste and with care, and is an excellent read.

I think banning books is a way for people who are afraid or too ignorant to see the benefit of exposing students to many issues that might be neglected otherwise.

Re: Banned books... I don't understand this!

the thing most of these people don't realize(and I bet the people banning these books are christian) is that most(if not all) books have at least a small connection to the bible! My English teacher(wh I love dearly, she is SOOOOO cool) said that if you just compare some characters to Jesus, you have a bible connection...Like Harry Potter in the last book

Re: Banned books... I don't understand this!

Originally Posted by FutureImagineer183

the thing most of these people don't realize(and I bet the people banning these books are christian) is that most(if not all) books have at least a small connection to the bible! My English teacher(wh I love dearly, she is SOOOOO cool) said that if you just compare some characters to Jesus, you have a bible connection...Like Harry Potter in the last book

Let's not throw around assumptions of what book banner's religious beliefs are... It could just be bad and people's feelings could get hurt. I grew up from a very Catholic household, where when we moved from Corona to Newport we counted 15 Bibles from the house. But my mom kept the "Joy of Sex" right next to the "Joy of Cooking" (she alphabetized the room we called the "study") and I think we had half those "banned books" growing up. I think depending on your background (any religion, any generation, any nationality,etc) certain things can offend you and make you question why kids are reading them. My grandfather (and I've mentioned on the Disneyland board about my grandpa and his views on life) thinks the "Harry Potter" series should be banned and not because he's Christian (I don't know the last time he went to church... I think it was when my sister was baptized which was 21 years ago), but because he hates the British, more specifically he hates their accents and their speech patterns. He think American children shouldn't learn that.

But see that's where the parents come in. Parents should be there with their kids reading. Isn't it Jim Trelease who thinks 20 minutes of reading aloud to a child (no matter the age) is a great thing? Parents should go to the library, book store, etc and help pick out books be actively involved and then if their teenager picks out something that isn't .... in their cup of tea talk about it as a family. Not ban them.

Re: Banned books... I don't understand this!

I am really opposed to the term "banned books" being thrown around so much. "Banned book" gives the impression that possession and/or purchase of said work is illegal. The actuality is much more limited in its scope.

Re: Banned books... I don't understand this!

The banning of books has and always will sicken me. It's this type of censorship that Bradbury warned about in Fahrenheit 451. I really don't understand some of these people. Do they want every book to be happy and perky and portray a perfect world where violence, swearing, and (God-forbid) homosexuality don't exist? It's just pathetic. I hate people sometimes. I really do.

Re: Banned books... I don't understand this!

Originally Posted by lazyboy97O

I am really opposed to the term "banned books" being thrown around so much. "Banned book" gives the impression that possession and/or purchase of said work is illegal. The actuality is much more limited in its scope.

I disagree a bit... from Merriam-Webster:

ban
Pronunciation: 'ban
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): banned; ban·ning
Etymology: Middle English bannen to summon, curse, from Old English bannan to summon; akin to Old High German bannan to command, Latin fari to speak, Greek phanai to say, phOnE sound, voicetransitive verb1archaic: CURSE2: to prohibit especially by legal means <ban discrimination>; also: to prohibit the use, performance, or distribution of <ban a book> <ban a pesticide>3: BAR 3c <banned from the U.N.>intransitive verb, archaic: to utter curses or maledictions

As definition 2 states, also to prohibit the use, performance, or distribution of -- not necessarily by legal means.

Banning something never makes anything completely illegal either. Take absinthe for example. In America, it is classified as a banned drink. Therefore, it is completely legal for anybody to drink it or have it in America. However, the sale and manufacturing of the drink within the country is illegal (currently). Which means, if you buy on the internet, it's technically a sale made outside of the country and it's legal to bring here, therefore, the ban only inconveniences the buyers and nothing more.

None of the books on the list have been made illegal for ownership, therefor "ban" is a good term. These books have only been forced out of usage at certain public and private establishments. Therefore, they were banned from the schools and libraries, but not illegal to have.